Will Congress join hands with Mayawati?

As the Lok Sabha elections draw nearer, there is a strong possibility that Congress may leave Samajwadi Party and have an electoral alliance with the BSP.

The BSP's support to the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan initially raised the speculations of a BSP-Congress coalition at the national level and a seat-sharing arrangement in some states.

It was 12 years ago when the Congress had conceded a majority of seats to the BSP and the two parties had fought elections together in Uttar Pradesh. Senior Congress leaders believe that it was the turning point as Congress had fielded just 125 candidates and let BSP contest 300 constituencies.

Ever since the Congress' base has eroded in UP. But the recent bonhomie between Congress and Samajwadi Party during the vote on Nuclear deal seems to be coming to an end lately.

Insiders say that the party cadre in UP doesn't like to join hands with the SP. Mayawati is also playing her cards well and her letter to the Congress regarding support in forming the Congress government in Rajasthan, has been taken as a move to keep her options open.

TIH Bureau